St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-25
AMONG THE CHURCHES.
Movements and Occurrences of Interest
in the Religious World.

The Pope in his recent allocution, re-
ferring to the successful issue Of the negotia-
lions with Prussia, said 'God grant that
Italy, who is peculiarly dear to us, may share
the spirit of peace with which we are ami
mated toward all nations. We earnestly desire
that Italy should put aside her unhappy in
difference with the papacy, whose dignity IS
violated chiefly by the conspiracy OF scots.
The means of obtaining concord would be 10
establish the Pope in a position where ne
would be subject to no power in the enjoy
ment of full and real liberty, which, far from
injuring Italy, would powerfully contribute to
her prosperity"
A religious society known as the
Christian Community, which is said to have
been founded 200 years ago by the Huguenots,
held its annual meeting in London recently.
Mr.. j. Atkinson secretary, stated that the 2oo
members of the community had regularly
visited eleven warehouses in the metropolis,
and had thus spoken the Gospel to about
1850 hearers weekly. Upward of thirty
lodging-house had also been visited and there
the number of hearers per week was estimated
at 3-400 At mission halls and open-air stations
$500 services have been conducted, ana as
many as 10000 free meals provided Tor the
destitute.
The little parish of Netley Marsh Tot
ter, in England, has been for some time past
disturbed by singular controversy. For the
last thirty years the boys of the Hampshire Re
formatory School have been accustomed to
attend the parish church, but the noses OF
some of the present generation of parishioners
are, it would seem, so delcately constructed
that they cannot endure the smell of the poor
boys corduroy trousers. The lads have been,
fharnf0ra Of late fnrOad hack nv the Wears
warden whenever they have presented them
selves at the church door. The right to ex-
clude them is about to be legally tested.
The first Gospel printed in Japan, that
of St. Mark, was issued in 1872, the whole New
Testament in 1880, and the issue of the entire
Scriptures in the native character is expected
Immediately. From the report of the council
of the United Mission in Japan, which is just TO
hand. it appears that the union now includes
fifty churches, with 1856 adult members. The
gam last year in churches was nine: and in
members, LIPS. The contributions of the ma
tive Christians for last year average seven
shillings EACH There are now elghty-three
European and American missionaries in ia
pan.
The Fiji Islands, once the abode of
cannibals, have been thoroughly Christianized.
There are at present in Fiji: Fijians, 1.743;
Europeans, 1857; half-castes, 1885, Asiatics,
1890; Polynesians, 1854; Rotumans, 2,4l4;
total 128,414. OF these 111,743 Fijans, 1O0,l54
are attendants at public worship. A very
large proportion indeed. All traces of their
heathenish practices have been cleared away,
and visitors now cannot imagine that this
people, with their almost Partisan manners
and their mellifuous speech, were the canni-
balls of ancient times.
The subject of Christian unity is the fore
most church topic of the times. Steps toward
the reunion of the Northern and Southern
Presbyterians are being taken. The bishops
of the Protestant Episcopal churches have
submitted a scheme of union to the considers
ton of sister denominations, and other church
bodies are considering plans of coming to-
gether. There is small promise of immediate
results, but the tendency is marked.
Germany has recently taken possession
of the Cameroons district, in West Africa and
besides few German missionaries to take the
place of the retiring English Baptist mission
aries are the following imports from Germany:
02s litres of rum, 1880 bottles of gin,
1858 old muskets and 1000 cartridges and 5000
Kilograms of tobacco.
Statistics compiled by the secretary
of the International Sunday school convention,
which recently met at Chicago, give the num-
Der of Sunday schools in the country as 9,762;
scholars S,03447S teachers, 1,107, ITO.
Letters received from Bishop Taylor
in Africa call for about fifty consecrated mis-
sionaries to leave New York October of this
year for Libesia.